Walmart and a new TIF coming to Blanchard

[Plutonic Panda]

Blanchard business owners furious over big box proposal | Oklahoma City - OKC - KOCO.com

[Just the facts]

A TIF for the most profitable retailer in the history of the world?

[Plutonic Panda]

A TIF for the most profitable retailer in the history of the world?

It's crazy. I thought I had a stroke when I saw a TIF for a Walmart is being considered.

[bchris02]

Nobody likes what the Wal-Mart does, but it keeps right on doing it.

[Plutonic Panda]

Nobody likes what the Wal-Mart does, but it keeps right on doing it.

[Just the facts]

If Blanchard does this then they will get exactly what they deserve. They will shift the economic center of their community from Main St to a 40 acre parking lot on the edge of town where they will watch all their money slowly get drained away to Wall Street.

[Bunty]

Blanchard business owners furious over big box proposal | Oklahoma City - OKC - KOCO.com

So, local merchants will have to adjust to by switching to selling stuff that Wal-Mart doesn't want to touch, such as stores selling used merchandise or bars and nice restaurants, jewelry repair and so on. Blanchard is easily one of the fastest growing suburbs in Oklahoma, so there is going to be strongly increasing demand for that sort of stuff. Also big strip malls will be coming to Blanchard , so local merchants better be prepared for those developments. However, in some towns, it's interesting how Wal-Marts have strip malls nearby packed with local merchants, i. e., the Perkins Rd. Wal-Mart in Stillwater. The situation is of no help for downtowns, so downtowns can respond by getting a BID or something similar as downtown Stillwater did and, overall, it has been successful.

[Plutonic Panda]

So, local merchants will have to adjust to by switching to selling stuff that Wal-Mart doesn't want to touch, such as stores selling used merchandise or bars and nice restaurants, jewelry repair and so on. Blanchard is easily one of the fastest growing suburbs in Oklahoma, so there is going to be strongly increasing demand for that sort of stuff. Also big strip malls will be coming to Blanchard , so local merchants better be prepared for those developments. However, in some towns, it's interesting how Wal-Marts have strip malls nearby packed with local merchants, i. e., the Perkins Rd. Wal-Mart in Stillwater. But that situation, while nice, is of little good for downtown.

Is Blanchard really growing that fast?

[Bunty]

Is Blanchard really growing that fast?

Its grown +181.8% since 2012. Pop in 2012: 7935. This picture of their downtown shows that they're far from ready to compete with anything. Trees lining the street block view of very bland store fronts, so you can't tell what they're selling. You don't want to hide your store behind trees. What next? Thousands of birds coming to roost in them and crapping all over the sidewalks? Decorative vegetation downtown should be confined to street corners with trees that don't grow very big and aren't bushy.

Blanchard, OK : Downtown photo, picture, image (Oklahoma) at city-data.com

[Plutonic Panda]

Those look like Bradford Pears anyways. I don't like those trees. They should tear them down. If Blanchard is really doing that great, hopefully they have a plan in the works because their downtown sucks.

[Bunty]

I guess some people like Bradford pears, because they're covered with white flowers in the early spring and turn red for fall. But they're too brittle for Oklahoma weather, like the ice storms. And I'll never forget walking down the street one day and while passing by a small Bradford pear a sudden gust of wind simply snapped the whole tree off.

[ljbab728]

Brianna's update.

http://www.oklahoman.com/article/539...TIF%20district

While Walmart was mentioned by plupan and it's possible there has been no mention of any specific retail at this point.

The city of Blanchard is considering creating a $6.6 million tax increment financing district to build new traffic signals, streetlights and sidewalks, as well as lure new businesses. But some local business owners say they oppose the plan.

The 128-acre TIF district would serve to bring new retailers to the area along the U.S. 62 corridor in Blanchard, generating new sales tax revenue for the city, Blanchard City Manager Robert Floyd said.

This is the only reference to Walmart in plupan's original link

It means using public money to spruce up the area where the big box, like a Walmart or Target, would go. Business owners we talked to said they never got a special deal like this. They say a big box store should pay for everything themselves.

[Zuplar]

I didn't know Blanchard was growing that fast. I was down there about a year ago, and still looks like a small rural town to me. I figured all the development would go to Newcastle due to it's proximity to the city. I feel like Blanchard is too far out there, I don't know that I'd even consider it a OKC suburb.

[TexanOkie]

The second public hearing for (and potential adoption of) the proposed TIF district was last night. Anyone know whether it was adopted or not?

[Just the facts]

The city of Blanchard is considering creating a $6.6 million tax increment financing district to build new traffic signals, streetlights and sidewalks, as well as lure new businesses. But some local business owners say they oppose the plan.

The 128-acre TIF district would serve to bring new retailers to the area along the U.S. 62 corridor in Blanchard, generating new sales tax revenue for the city, Blanchard City Manager Robert Floyd said.

For the love of Pete , if they want to lure retailers why not do it in their little downtown and revitalize what made their community unique in the first place? Why the hell do they think the only road to fortune and glory is lined with big box retailers located in a sea of parking?

If you want to revitalize something - revitalize THIS. Don't kill off what is left.

[Jersey Boss]

It used to be having a high school and a football team provided a town with "validation". That validation is now having a Wally World.